Page 252 - the-trial

always given his name in the past, for some time now it had
been a burden to him, now there were people who knew his
name whom he had never seen before, it had been so nice
first to introduce yourself and only then for people to know
who you were. “You have been accused,” said the priest, es-
pecially gently. “Yes,” said K., “so I have been informed.”
“Then you are the one I am looking for,” said the priest. “I
am the prison chaplain.” “I see,” said K. “I had you sum-
moned here,” said the priest, “because I wanted to speak to
you.” “I knew nothing of that,” said K. “I came here to show
the cathedral to a gentleman from Italy.” “That is beside the
point,” said the priest. “What are you holding in your hand?
Is it a prayer book?” “No,” answered K., “it’s an album of
the city’s tourist sights.” “Put it down,” said the priest. K.
threw it away with such force that it flapped open and rolled
across the floor, tearing its pages. “Do you know your case
is going badly?” asked the priest. “That’s how it seems to me
too,” said K. “I’ve expended a lot of effort on it, but so far
with no result. Although I do still have some documents
to submit.” “How do you imagine it will end?” asked the
priest. “At first I thought it was bound to end well,” said K.,
“but now I have my doubts about it. I don’t know how it will
end. Do you know?” “I don’t,” said the priest, “but I fear
it will end badly. You are considered guilty. Your case will
probably not even go beyond a minor court. Provisionally
at least, your guilt is seen as proven.” “But I’m not guilty,”
said K., “there’s been a mistake. How is it even possible for
someone to be guilty. We’re all human beings here, one like
the other.” “That is true,” said the priest, “but that is how

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